Frame unit for electronic communication devices

ABSTRACT

This application discloses a frame unit for communication and other electronic devices including a pair of parallel side plates interconnected by upper and lower guide rails extending between and perpendicular to the side plates, and a plurality of guide members which are secured to the guide rails and which are adapted to guide therealong printed boards on which circuit elements of an electronic device are provided. The application also discloses a frame device composed of a number of such frame units.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a frame unit for communication and otherelectronic devices, and also to a frame device constructed by a numberof such frame units.

A known conventional frame device for electronic communication devicesis usually composed of a number of communication device units which arelaid one on another in and secured to a single main frame. Eachcommunication device unit includes a box-like casing in which arearranged and held a number of equidistantly spaced printed circuitboards which are provided with circuit elements of an electroniccommunication device thereon. Each communication device unit is securedto the main frame by means of set screws which are inserted in holesformed in flange portions of the casing and in holes formed in the mainframe, corresponding to the first mentioned holes of the casing. Afterthe installation of a predetermined number of communication device unitsin the main frame, necessary wiring of the units is effected with thehelp of cables, wires or the like, in accordance with the arrangement ofthe units. Further, the provision of heat radiation openings on at leasta ceiling plate and a bottom plate of the casing is required forradiation of heat from the printed circuit boards into the atmosphere.Furthermore, in the above mentioned type of known frame device, when anincrease of the capacity of the electronic communication device isexpected in the future, it is necessary to prepare in advance a largermain frame having extra space in which additional communication deviceunits, necessary to satisfy the requirement of the increase of thecapacity, can be installed. On the other hand, once the size of the mainframe is determined, the main frame is not adaptable to an optionalincrease of the capacity of the device, i.e., an optional increase ofthe number of units. Still further, since no conventional frame deviceis adaptable to different combinations or arrangements of the units, itis necessary to prepare a number of frame devices, the number of whichcorresponds to the number of the combinations or arrangements, resultingin various modifications of the arrangement of the wiring. This makes itdifficult to make the wiring arrangement uniform. Furthermore, due tothe fact that each unit includes a box-like casing, which is, in turn,installed in a main frame, the device is relatively large and heavy onthe whole, and accordingly, is inconvenient, particularly when it istransported.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is, therefore, to provide a frame unit whichcan be constructed without the provision of such a main frame.

Another object of the invention is to provide a frame unit which can befreely and optionally constructed and assembled.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a frame unit whichmakes it possible to increase the capacity of the frame device.

A further object of the invention is to provide a uniform frame unit.

According to the invention, there is provided a frame unit forelectronic communication devices comprising a pair of spaced parallelside plates which are interconnected by means of upper and lower guiderails extending between and perpendicular to the side plates, both endsof said guide rails projecting out of the side plates, and a pluralityof guide members which are secured to the guide rails and which areadapted to guide therealong printed boards on which circuit elements ofan electronic communication device are provided, when the printed boardsare inserted into and out of the frame unit, said guide members beingspaced a predetermined distance from one another between and parallel tothe side plates.

Further, according to the invention, there is also provided a framedevice composed of a number of the above mentioned type frame units, ina matrix arrangement.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an assembly of a frame unitaccording to the invention;

FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing a part of upper and lower frameunits which are laid one on top of the other and interconnected by meansof a set screw;

FIG. 2B is a cross sectional view of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3 is a backward perspective view showing a plurality of frame unitswhich are electrically independent from one another;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a main part of a modification ofFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a frame device according to theinvention; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the connection between two horizontallyadjacent frame units.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The invention will become apparent from the detailed description of thepreferred embodiments presented below, with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

A frame unit 1 according to the invention includes a pair of parallelside plates 3a and 3b, and three pairs of U shaped upper and lower guiderails 5a, 5b; 7a, 7b; and 9a, 9b (FIG. 1). The upper guide rails 5a, 7aand 9a have a U shaped guide channel of the same width L₁ while thelower guide rails 5b, 7b and 9b have a U shaped guide channel of thesame width L₂ (FIG. 2B). The width L₁ is different from the width L₂. Inthe illustrated embodiment, L₂ is larger than L₁ (L₂ >L₁), but L₂ may besmaller than L₁. It is important that the widths L₁ and L₂ are not equalto each other. The outer dimension of the smaller guide rail must besubstantially equal to or slightly less than the inner dimension of theother guide rail, so that former guide rail can be fitted in latterguide rail. Preferably, the guide rails 9a, 9b and 7a, 7b have the samelength, which is slightly longer than the distance between the two sideplates 3a and 3b, so that the two ends of each of these guide railsproject outward from the side plates. Although the intermediate guiderails 5a and 5b may be of same length as the guide rails 9a, 9b and 7a,7b, they preferably have the same length as the distance between the twoside plates 3a, 3b for the purpose mentioned hereinafter. The number ofpairs of upper and lower guide rails is not limited to three, and apair, two pairs or more than three pairs of guide rails may be provided.Essentially, only one pair of upper and lower guide rails is necessary.Each of the guide rails can be secured to the side plates 3a and 3b, forexample, by means of set screws (not shown).

Between the side plates 3a and 3b, are arranged pairs of upper and lowerguide members 11a and 11b, which extend parallel to the side plates. Theguide members 11a and 11b are secured to the guide rails 5a, 7a and 9a,and 5b, 7b and 9b, respectively. Pairs of guide members 11a, 11b arespaced at a predetermined distance. The number of pairs of guide memberscorresponds to the number of printed circuit boards 10 which are to beguided along the guide members. Each of the guide members 11a and 11b isalso in the form of a U shaped guide rail in the illustrated embodiment.The printed circuit boards 10 are guided by and slide in a correspondingpair of guide rails 11a and 11b when the printed circuit boards 10 areinserted in and out of the unit 1. The printed circuit boards 10 areprovided with predetermined circuit elements, such as electronic circuitcomponents (not shown).

As can be seen from FIGS. 2A and 2B, the projecting ends of each of theguide rails 7b and 9b are provided with mounting holes 15b (one of whichis shown in FIG. 2A), while the projecting ends of each of the guiderails 7a and 9a are provided with mounting holes in the form of threadedholes 15a (one of which is shown in FIG. 2B) corresponding to the holes15b. When fixtures, such as set screws 17b, are inserted in the mountingholes 15b and screwed in the threaded holes 15b, two adjacent upper andlower units 1 are immovably connected together. That is, in order tointerconnect two vertically adjacent units 1, which are laid one on topof the other, the upper unit is put on the lower unit in such a way thatthe upper guide rails 5a, 7a and 9a of the lower unit are fitted in thelower guide rails 5b, 7b and 9b of the upper unit, respectively. Afterthat, the four set screws 17b are inserted in the four mounting holes15b of the upper unit and screwed in the four threaded holes 15a of thelower unit, so that the two units can be rigidly interconnected at fourpoints. The above mentioned operation can be repeated every time a unitis laid on the lower unit to form a frame device which is constructed ofa plurality of units successively laid on one another. It should benoted that spaces 13 defined between the guide rails 11a and between theguide rails 11b serve as heat radiation openings through which heat fromthe printed circuit boards 10 radiates into the atmosphere.

In FIG. 3 are illustrated frame units which are also electricallyindependent of one another. In FIG. 3, each frame unit further includesa back panel 21 which is secured to the rear portions of the side plates3a and 3b. On the front face of the back panel 21 are provided a groupof connectors (not shown), with which are engaged, in plug-in manner,connectors (not shown) provided on the rear portions of the printedcircuit boards 10. Each back panel 21 is also provided, on its rear orback face, with a group of connectors 23 to which other connectors (notshown) are to be connected. A part or all of the connectors 23 can beconnected, if necessary, to connectors 27 provided on one of the ends ofcables or leads 25, which have at their other ends connectors 29, whichare in turn secured to the outer side faces of the side plates 3a and3b. The connectors 23, 27 and 29, may be female connectors or maleconnectors. The units 1 are thus electrically separated from oneanother. The electrical connection between the electrically independentunits 1 can be established, for example, by means of connection cables33, each having, at both ends, connectors 31. The units 1 can be alsoconnected to an external apparatus (not shown) by means of connectioncables 37 having connectors 35.

The projecting ends of the guide rails 7a, 7b, 9a, 9b provide a lateralgap, between two laterally adjacent units which are interconnected inthe horizontal direction. Due to the presence of the lateral gap betweentwo laterally adjacent units, the connectors 29 can be also provided onthe outer side faces of the side plates 3a and 3b. Due to the fact thatthe intermediate guide rails 5a and 5b have no projecting end, that is,the length thereof is substantially equal to the distance between thetwo side plates 3a and 3b, the connectors 35 can be easily connected tothe corresponding connectors 29 and the connection cables 37 can passthrough spaces defined between the projecting ends of upper guide rails9a and 7a, and between the projecting ends of lower guide rails 9b and7b, respectively.

In FIG. 4, which illustrates a modification of FIG. 3, each of the sideplates is in the form of a frame plate 3a' having a rectangular opening41. Flexible flat cables 25' connected at their one end to theconnectors 23 provided on the back panel 21 extend through the openings41. Preferably, on the frame plate 3a' there are provided guide plates45 secured thereto for guiding the flexible flat cables 25' in order toprevent the cables 45 from undesirably hanging down. Each of theflexible cables 45 is provided, at its two ends, with a connector (notshown) similar to the connector 27 (FIG. 3) and a connector 29' (FIG.4). The frame plate 3a' is provided with a connector mounting plate 47,which is slidably guided by guide plates 43 secured to the frame plate3a'. Connector mounting plate 47, which has a substantially L-shapedcross section, includes flange portion 47a which can be withdrawn to theposition shown by the dot and dash line in FIG. 4. That is, the stop 49limits the outward movement of the plate 47, so that the plate 47 can beprevented from accidentally coming out from the frame plate 3a' duringthe outward movement of the plate 47. On the two faces of each of theconnector mounting plates 47 there are provided groups of connectors(not shown). The connectors provided on the inner face of the plate 47are connected to the connectors 29' of the cables 25' and the connectorsprovided on the outer face of the plate 47 are connected in a plug-inmanner, for example, to connectors 35 of connection cables 37 to beconnected to an external apparatus (not shown). Although the abovediscussion has been directed only to the plate 3a', of the two sideplates, it is, of course, adaptable to the other side plate (not shown).

According to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4, connections anddisconnections between the connectors provided on the connector mountingplates 47, and the connectors 29' and/or 35, can be more easily effectedin comparison with the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 3, in which suchoperations must be effected in the limited space between two laterallyadjacent units. This is because the plates 47 can be drawn outward fromthe respective side plates in the first mentioned embodiment when theconnecting and disconnecting operations mentioned above are effected.

When a number of units 1 are connected horizontally, coupling members51, as illustrated in FIG. 6, can be used. The coupling member 51 may bea strip having a U shaped cross section. The inner width of the U shapedchannel of the coupling member 51 is substantially equal to or slightlylarger than the outer width of the U shaped channel of the guide rails7b, 9b, so that the guide rails 7b or 9b can be fitted into the couplingmember 51. The coupling member 51 has two mounting holes 53, 53corresponding to the mounting holes 15b, 15b of the guide rails 7b, 7bor 9b, 9b of the two horizontally adjacent units 1, as shown in FIG. 6.

Four frame units, comprising two horizontally adjacent upper units andtwo horizontally adjacent lower units, on which the two upper units arelaid, can be rigidly interconnected to one another by means of thecoupling members 51, in such a way that the lower guide rails 5b, 7b, 9bof the upper units 1, which are aligned in a horizontal direction areengaged with the corresponding upper guide rails 5a, 7a, 9a of the lowerunits 1, which are similarly aligned in a horizontal direction. Afterthat the coupling members 51 are disposed on the adjacent andhorizontally aligned lower rails 9b, 9b and 7b, 7b of the upper units,in which are fitted the upper rails 9a, 9a and 7a, 7a of the lowerunits, respectively. Finally, set screws 55 are inserted into the holes53 of the coupling members 51 and in the holes 15b of the lower rails 9band 7b, and are then screwed in the threaded holes 15a of the upperrails 9a and 7a. It will be noted that each hole 53, 15b and 15a isaligned in a vertical direction. By repeating the above mentionedoperation, a predetermined number of units can be assembled in a matrixarrangement to form a finished frame device as shown in FIG. 5.

A frame device may be assembled, for example, on a base 2 (FIGS. 1 and5) or a box (not shown) in which an electric power unit (not shown) isinstalled. Alternatively, it is also possible to provide a cabinet (notshown) in which a frame device is housed to protect it from dust or thelike.

As will be apparent from the above discussion, according to theinvention, since a communication device unit itself constitutes a framedevice unit, and since a number of frame device units can be directlyand easily assembled to form a frame device, the disadvantages mentionedabove can be eliminated. Furthermore, according to the invention, framedevice units can be electrically independent from one another andelectrical connections between the units can be easily effected in anoptional arrangement.

We claim:
 1. A frame unit for electronic devices, comprising: a pair ofspaced parallel side plates; at least one pair of upper and lower guiderails interconnecting said side plates by extending between andperpendicular to the side plates, both ends of said guide railsprojecting beyond the side plates; and a plurality of guide member meansfor guiding therealong printed boards on which circuit elements of anelectronic device are provided, when the printed boards are insertedinto and out of the frame unit, said guide member means being secured tosaid guide rails and being spaced a predetermined distance from oneanother between and parallel to the side plates, wherein said upper andlower guide rails comprise guide channels, respectively, the width (L₁)of the guide channel of each upper guide rail being different from thewidth (L₂) of the guide channel of each lower guide rail, whereby theguide rails having narrower guide channels can be fitted in the otherguide rails having wide guide channels when a plurality of frame unitsare laid one on top of the other, and wherein each of said projectingends of the guide rails is provided with a mounting hole, and furthercomprising a plurality of set screw means for insertion in the mountingholes to rigidly connect a plurality of frame units when the latter arelaid one on top of the other.
 2. A frame unit for electronic devices,comprising: a pair of spaced parallel side plates; upper and lower guiderails means for interconnecting said side plates, said upper and lowerguide rail means having guide channels with different guide channelwidths (L₁, L₂), respectively, and extending between and perpendicularto the side plates, both ends of said guide rail means projecting beyondthe side plates; a plurality of guide members secured to the guide railmeans to guide therealong printed boards having circuit elements andconnectors provided thereon, when the printed boards are inserted intoand out of the frame unit, said guide members being spaced at apredetermined distance from one another between and parallel to the sideplates; and a back panel parallel to the guide rail means and secured tothe side plates, said back panel having, on its front face, a pluralityof connectors engageable in plug-in manner with corresponding connectorsof the printed boards and, on its back face, a plurality of connectorsto which other connectors may be connected, and wherein each of saidparallel side plates comprises a frame plate having a center opening,said side plates being provided with connector mounting plates slideablymounted on the outer faces of the respective side plates, said connectormounting plates being provided, on their outer and inner faces, with aplurality of outer connectors and a plurality of inner connectors,respectively, said inner connectors being connected to the connectors onthe back face of the back panel by flexible connecting cables.
 3. Aframe device for electronic devices, comprising:a plurality of frameunits in a matrix arrangement, each comprisinga pair of spaced parallelside plates, upper and lower guide rail means for interconnecting saidside plates, said upper and lower guide rail means having guide channelswith different channel widths, respectively, and extending between andperpendicular to the side plates, both ends of said guide rail meansprojecting beyond the side plates and being provided with mountingholes, a plurality of fixing members insertable into said mountingholes, and a plurality of guide members secured to the guide rail meansto guide therealong printed boards having circuit elements of anelectronic device provided thereon, when the printed boards are insertedinto and out of the frame unit, said guide members being spaced apredetermined distance from one another between and parallel to the sideplates, said frame units being laid on one another in verticaldirections by engaging the upper guide rail means of the lower frameunits with the lower guide rail means of the upper frame units, saidframe units being aligned in horizontal directions by aligning the upperand lower guide rails means of horizontally adjacent units,respectively; and a plurality of coupling members having mounting holescorresponding to said mounting holes of said guide rail means, saidcoupling members joining the guide rail means of adjacent frame unitswith said fixing members being inserted in and secured to said mountingholes to rigidly secure the frame units together.